


Just hold on, we're going home

by amessoffand0ms



Series: "it's called marriage, honey" [1]
Category: Doctor Who, Doctor Who (2005)
Genre: Angst, Cuddles, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Tw: depictions of abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-09-23
Updated: 2017-09-23
Packaged: 2019-01-04 10:12:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 877
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12166854
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amessoffand0ms/pseuds/amessoffand0ms
Summary: There were days when even the woman who shot a Dalek was scared.





	Just hold on, we're going home

There were days when even the woman who shot a Dalek was scared.

She'd encountered the Silence a couple of days previously, and along with Kate Stewart, had successfully managed to drive them from a distant planet where they thought the Doctor was.

River hadn't seen her Doctor in a while, and felt miserable. He hadn't been there to catch her, not that time.

It must have been at least 2 in the afternoon, and she was still in bed. She's living on Earth in her parent's time, yet didn't feel like going to see them.

Seeing the monsters that destroyed both of her childhoods brought back memories- being told that she was nothing but a weapon, being whipped when she showed the slightest bit of compassion. She still bears very faint scars on her back from the belt Kovarian used to hurt her, whilst one of her minions looked on and taunted her and encouraged their mistress.

Tears dribbled down River's cheek- she wanted her husband to hold her close and make her feel safe. Just once, she wanted to show the damage.

Elsewhere, the Doctor had just dropped Clara off, and was intending to take a trip to space Florida.

He'd just typed the coordinates in when the cloister bell began to ring, signalling that someone needed him.

"Aright, Old Girl." He murmured to his ship. "Take me where I need to go."

The ship lurched into life, and quickly landed.

The Doctor shrugged his tweed jacket back on and made his way outside, finding himself just outside River's house.

He frowned-River tended to contact him via the psychic paper, signing her message with a kiss.

The Gallifreyan knocked on the door hesitantly, and waited.

River did not hear it, she was still crying.

The Doctor waited a few minutes, and soniced the door open, stepping inside warily-perhaps his wife had teamed up with his ship to play a practical joke, and she was waiting to make him jump out of his skin.

"River?" He called. "Are you going to play a prank on me?"

Upstairs, the female tensed at the sound of her husband's voice. "Doctor?"

He heard her voice faintly, and made his way upstairs.

River lay back down on the bed, not bothering to get up.

The Doctor entered her room, saddening when he saw her curled up on the bed. "What happened, sweetheart?"

"The Silence. I was with UNIT, they called me. They couldn't get through to you." River explained, tears rolling down her face.

He sat down next to her, kicking his boots off. "Oh River, I'm so sorry."

"They tried to call the Tardis, but couldn't get through. So they called me instead, I don't hold it against you." His wife said.

The Doctor got under the covers and cuddled her close, she was still in her pyjamas. "You've been in bed the entire day?"

"Yeah, I couldn't face anything... Not today. Seeing them brought it all back, even though I can't remember what they look like."

"Oh, my love." The Doctor sighed. He hated the Silence more than he hated every other monster he'd ever faced-because they'd hurt his wife, raised her as a tool. They were the reason why she took a long time to trust people, the reason for her nightmares.

River snuggled close to him, listening to his hearts beating, letting him ground her. He was always there to catch her when she fell.

"The Tardis must have realised I needed you after the event, not during." She murmured.

"One day, I'll bring them down once and for all." He said."I despise them, look what they did to you."

"That's the way of the universe, my love." River replied. "Sometimes people hurt us, and you don't understand why. But, you know the good thing about all this?"

"What?"           

"I found you. Twisted, I know. I saw you in Berlin and realised what a wonderful man you are, all the races you've saved. Before you, I only knew about those who had died. Amy showed me, you showed me, the Tardis showed me. Because of my love for you, I broke free of my conditioning. You saved me, in a way. You saved me from a life under the shadows of those who abused me."

"That's true." He agreed. "Although, you can't say that I made you the person you are today. You did that all by yourself, becoming River Song. Leaving the scared little girl behind and becoming the strong, beautiful, independent woman you are today."

"Flatterer." River chuckled. "When I first changed my name, it felt like a victory, you know? One of the first choices I ever made for myself."

"I understand what you mean. I never felt like I fitted in on Gallifrey, I chose the name "Doctor" because I wanted to help people, to do good in the world... My home planet was too..." He trailed off with a frown.

"Boring?" She asked helpfully.

"Exactly." The Doctor nodded.

"You know, there's no one in the universe who understands me like you do. We both hurt sometimes, but we keep buggering on." Said his wife.

"But, we have each other."

"That we do, Sweetie." River murmured, kissing him. "That we do."


End file.
